Sunday, June 16, 2013

To Bite A Bear by Amber Kell

Blurb:

Sometimes you need a grand gesture to prove your love, and sometimes a bear hug will do.

Harris Bender had a crush on vampire leader Rohan, so when the alpha
male requests him to paint a mural, he can only say yes. However, after
a passionate encounter, Harris discovered Rohan is his mate. Is the
carefree artist ready to settle down with one man even if he’s extremely
hot?

Rohan had been looking for his blood bonded for centuries. One taste
of the bear shifter’s blood and he knows he’s found the one. However,
outside forces threaten to tear the couple apart. It will take more than
a flash of fang to put them in their place.

Excerpt:Harris didn’t have to be there. He didn’t belong to the coven and
wasn’t a vampire. However, he couldn’t let Rohan mourn alone. The few
weeks he’d worked for the master vampire had forged an odd friendship
between the two men. A relationship Harris planned to take to the next
level soon. Rohan called Harris his beloved but hadn’t made any further
moves despite the longing looks and possessive behavior. After Rohan had
a chance to mourn his friends, Harris would show the vampire he didn’t
have to be alone.

Rohan had come to Harris’ aid when Eaton had been kidnapped, and
although Rohan didn’t end up having to do anything, having the vampire
leader there had given Harris the emotional support he needed. Harris
wanted to return the favor.

When the vampire turned around, he immediately searched the crowd.
Harris saw the vampire relax when Rohan caught sight of him. After
whispering something to the people milling to his right, Rohan walked
over to join Harris. Without ceremony, Rohan wrapped a proprietary arm
around Harris and scooted him to one side, putting Rohan’s body between
Harris and the other vampires. Rohan didn’t like other people too close
to Harris. For some reason, ever since Harris started working for him,
Rohan had watched over him like a dog with his bone.

“You doing all right?” Harris whispered. He fought against the urge
to hug Rohan closer. The vampire leader probably wouldn’t appreciate
coddling in front of his people. The way they stood now, Rohan could’ve
been offering support to Harris. Harris knew Rohan was absorbing some of
his calm. The vampire had said before that Harris zen-like peace
soothed Rohan deep inside. Apparently, the closer the proximity, the
better the calming took.

Ignoring everyone else, Harris scooted closer to offer his presence
if not his clumsy words of sympathy. He’d always been more of a person
of action, not verbal expression.

Rohan had taken his vampires’ deaths hard since he hadn’t been able
to prevent the poisoning. Sorcerers and vampires were mortal enemies,
but from what Harris had heard, they’d been in a semi-truce for years.
Until sorcerers had poisoned the humans the vampires used for food, they
had no idea the sorcerers were going to attack.
Rohan didn’t speak, but he slid a hand down from Harris’ shoulder as
he stepped away and tangled their fingers together instead. “Thanks for
being here,” he murmured in Harris’ ear, a soft, intimate sound. His
breath brushed across the soft hairs of Harris’ ear lobe. Harris fought
back both a shiver and the urge to turn his head for a kiss.

Before Harris could give in to any of his urges and after a quick
squeeze of Harris’ fingers, Rohan released him and stepped away. Harris
immediately missed the vampire’s presence. His inner animal yearned for
contact with Rohan as if Harris couldn’t be complete without being
close.

“You’re welcome. I’d do a lot more for you…” Harris confessed. He
turned bright red. When would he learn not to say everything in his
head? With his friends, his tendency to blurt things out was mildly
embarrassing. With Rohan, it reached a more humiliating level. He might
as well strip naked and throw himself at Rohan’s feet.

Rohan turned to give Harris his full attention. He cupped Harris’
cheek with one elegant hand. “I’d love to hear about what you might be
willing to do. Later,” Rohan said.

Rubbing his cheek against the vampire leader’s palm, Harris lost
track of his thoughts. There was little he wasn’t willing to do to have
Rohan touch Harris as if he cared. His inner beast fought to come out
and play.

“Easy, beloved,” Rohan said. “Keep the calm I love so much.”

Love?

Harris wondered how Rohan could toss such words around. Beloved.
Love. Did the vampire not understand the power of words? That a foolish
bear’s heart might patter a bit faster when presented with even casually
tossed affection.